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Fate Chapter 6: The treasure box
🕑 Added 2021-03-24 18:15:01 +0000 UTCThe moment Medea confirmed the contract, I felt something flowing through my body.
Medea is added to the 'Potential Partners' list.
Medea stared wide-eyed at something behind me. I looked over my shoulder. Nothing was there.
"Is something wrong?"
Medea shook her head with a tiny smile that tugged at my heart.
"Nothing, Master. You can call me Caster.”
“Alright.”
“Would it be okay for me to rest? We've to use any chance to save our magical energy.”
"No problem.”
I got up and left the room. I went to the living room and took a seat on the couch. I was itching to check the Partners list.
“Partners list.”
The list popped up instantly.
[Partners]
None
[Potential Partners]
Medea: A Sorcerer from the Age of Gods and your current Servant, tied to you by the Fuyuki Holy Grail System.
-Current Status — Confused over your mana exceeding low-class Servants.
-Relationship Status — 11/100
-Species: Spirit
-Age: Uncountable
-Gender: Female
-Height, Weight: 163cm/51kg
-Alignment: Neutral Evil
-Parameters
Strength: 10 (E)
Endurance: 21 (D)
Agility: 32 (C)
Magical energy: 54 (A)
Luck: 40 (B)
-Authorities
None
-Noble Phantasm
Rule Breaker
Description: An anti-magic Noble Phantasm capable of destroying and dispelling any Magecraft.
-Skills
Rapid Words of Divine [A]
Info: Using the Age of Gods, Medea can cast spells without the use of Magic Circuits.
Item Construction [A]
Info: A skill inherent to the Caster Class. Medea can construct magical items far superior to modern magi.
Territory Creation [A]
Info: A skill inherent to the Caster Class. Medea can convert any place into her territory to gather mana from the surroundings.
Confused over your mana exceeding low-class Servants… So Medea was a potential partner? Honestly, it’d be cool to have her as my lover after resurrecting Mom.
‘Arch… you love to invade people’s privacy, don’t you?’
Answer: ...No. It’s for your good. You can conquer your potential partners easily with this.
‘Eleven out of hundred… how much is that?’
Answer: 0-10 points — Stranger, 11-20 points — Acquaintance, 21-50 points — Friends, 51-75 — Loyal friends, 76-99 — More than a friend, less than a lover, 100 and above — Lover.
Acquaintance is not bad. I compared her stats to the servant’s stats I recalled. Artoria had an A-Rank in almost all parameters, showing how powerful of a servant she was. Medea’s skills also weren't that overwhelming. I gotta work hard to compensate for her weaknesses, starting with summoning the Assassin Class Servant before someone else does it, especially Zouken, the old ancestor of the Matou Clan. That old mage will ruin everything if he summoned Hassan of the Cursed Arm. I’d rather not fight someone who could crush my heart without properly fighting me.
This war was certainly going to be a hell of a battle.
"Mom, just you wait. I'll have you by my side, or I'll die trying."
A chilly wind brushed past my face. For a moment, I thought it was Mom, who did this to encourage me.
I slapped my cheeks to shake off the depression.
What about my magic circuits? They were essential in casting any kind of spell. Having this much mana would be waste without them.
Answer: A dragon exerts its dominance on the mana itself to cast spells.
This goddess might be into BDSM.
I will try it after filling my stomach. Though I could make edible food, letting Medea eat it might be a bit cruel… I might as well bring something from the restaurant before Sakura arrived and insisted on cooking.
I knocked on Medea's door. “Caster, I'm going out. Can you look after the home?”
"Master, wait. I'm coming," she said and snappily slid the door.
“You don’t need to.”
“You are not going without me. Your magical energy is hardly concealed. It will give your position to others Masters. I can hide it and protect you.”
She remained firm, unwilling to back out.
“Alright,” I consented. She will certainly help if the ghost struck again.
She suddenly vanished. I could still sense her presence around me.
“Master, this is my spirit form. The magic consumption is reduced but my senses are fairly limited.”
“Just come in your physical form. I mean, it would be better to experience this new century through your eyes. I have plenty of magical energy to spare.”
“Master, I can’t.”
This stubborn woman was probably having thoughts like ‘I don't want to trouble him’ or ‘He can't be serious about bringing me with him.’
I rubbed the back of my neck. “Sheesh. What are you hesitating for? It's not like someone will identify you after you cover your ears.”
“...”
I let out a sigh at her silence. It felt awkward to be the only one talking in a conversation. But I have to persist and earn her trust. We will both die if we don’t trust each other in this war.
‘Arch, am I doing this wrong?’
[Answer: No… it’s vital to trust your allies in a war.]
This goddess was so kind.
“...Master, my clothes aren’t suited for this city.”
I swear I'm not smiling at this minor achievement of persuading this stubborn woman.
“You can try my mother's clothes.”
Medea was slim and petite compared to Mom. A cold wind touched the back of my neck, a shiver running down my spine.
“Master?”
“Follow me.”
I led her to Mom's room. The pale pink walls with white furniture made the room elegant and girly at the same time. I opened the cupboard and shuffled through the dresses.
Medea materialized beside me and curiously looked at the clothes. Suddenly, her eyes narrowed. She stretched her finger. "Master, does that chest belong to you?"
I followed her finger to a wooden chest lying on the shelf. It also had a giant keyhole like those classic treasure chests.
Medea grabbed the box with both arms. “It has an enchantment on it.”
Enchantment?
"Mom… was a Magus?" I shook my head. "That’s impossible.”
Medea flipped the chest and stared at the small square cutout with delicate text, her blue eyes shimmering with mild amusement. “It is an intricate blood identification-type spell. I can crack it through brute force. Master?”
“Is there no other option?”
Mom might scold me if I ruined this precious treasure box.
“Try dripping your blood on this area. It should unlock if she left it as your inheritance.”
I needed to confirm it. I took a needle from Mom's sewing set in the drawer and pricked my finger. Touching the designated area, I waited.
Click! The chest's lid loosened. I opened the chest and the contents were enough to make a grown man like me blush. Why was she collecting my sleeping photos?
Medea picked the photos and shuffled through them. I even found a recent one where I am sleeping entirely naked in my room.
What the hell, Mom!
Medea silently put the photos aside as if being considerate. I picked up the white envelope left in the chest and tore the seal. I pulled the letter from inside and read it.
{Haru dear. If you're reading this letter, that means I have died or gone missing...
I wanted to say this line from my twenties!
Sorry for getting distracted.}
Haru… that's the nickname she chose for me. Can’t believe my airhead mom wrote this letter.
Shaking my head, I continued reading.
{Drop some of your blood inside the chest… Even after I swear to protect Haru, I'm asking him to spill blood. I'm the worst kind of mother.}
“That's not true,” I muttered, despite knowing she wasn't here.
I reopened the wound on my finger and dripped the blood in the chest. Shiiing! The wooden base split, revealing an earth-like orb. On closer inspection, the drawing on it seemed to be a perfect imitation of a globe. Such attention to details probably made it an exotic item.
“Caster, is this a magical artifact?”
“I don't feel any magical energy from this.”
I returned to the letter for any clues.
{You see that little earth. That could be the reason... I died.}
My mind blanked out.
